Contact lawmakers about smartphone proof-of-insurance law

If you lived in California or one of six other states and had a smartphone, you wouldn’t have to worry about whether you remembered to put your proof-of-insurance card in your wallet, purse or car.

You could call it up on your phone.

California in September became the seventh state to allow people to show proof of their auto insurance on their smartphones, as well as with a card or piece of paper. The other states are Arizona, Alabama, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana and Minnesota.

If you want Washington to be among them, whip out that phone and send a text or an email to your legislators.

Dan Braun of Everett writes: Are there any plans to resurface Evergreen Way? The stretch between 47th Street SE and Madison Street (about 1.5 miles) is particularly bad.

As a result of 20-plus years of heavy traffic, there are now long “gullies” in each lane in both directions. When it’s raining these gullies fill up with water and drivers are forced to drive on either side of these long “puddles” to avoid hydroplaning.

Evergreen Way south of Madison, while not as bad as the aforementioned segment, is very rough and needs to be resurfaced. Also, Rucker Avenue between Pacific Avenue and 41st Street needs attention.

Ryan Sass, city engineer for Everett, responds: Our 2013 pavement plan includes grinding and repaving a stretch of Evergreen Way from the 6200 block, just north of Pecks Drive, south to 75th Street SE. This includes a segment of Evergreen Way both north and south of Madison.

We are reviewing additional segments of Evergreen which may be added to the project as budget allows.

J.L. McNeal of Lake Stevens writes: Improvements were recently made to 20th Street SE in Lake Stevens. At the intersection of 20th and S. Lake Stevens Road, in front of the Tom Thumb grocery, many people heading east stop in the turn lane to go to the store. In so doing, they often have to wait for westbound traffic to clear and thus hold up drivers trying to proceed to the intersection to turn left onto S. Lake Stevens Road.

In many cases people stuck behind them jump out to the right to pass, creating potential for an accident.

It seems it would make sense to a small concrete lane barricade (a “c-curb”) so people would have to go around the corner to enter the store parking lot using the turn lanes already installed for that purpose. It would also make it safer for the people coming out of the lot.

Mick Monken, public works director for Lake Stevens, responds: The county had plans to install c-curb at this section of roadway to block of access. It was not installed at the time of construction so that it could be observed whether this was a problem.

The concern is that access to businesses is important and should be blocked off only if it becomes a safety or operational issue. The city has had no reported accidents or other complaints about this section of roadway.

We will take a look at this and see if traffic volumes have reached a level that would warrant action.

Thank you for passing this on to us.

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